Lord of the Rings: The Rise of Darkness
by ANewBeginning
Summary: A book has been discovered that can bring back the Dark Lord and someone must stop it from being accessed by the forces of evil.
1. Ch 1 The Book

Elson felt the cold of the wind bite at his neck but he continued to ride through The Great Mountains. The fresh snow did not help as he made his ascent up the great mountain. Night was coming quickly and distant rumbles threatened another storm. He had no time to lose. He must get to his destination with his findings as soon as possible.

It had been many seasons since the great defeat of Sauron. The land of Middle Earth had met its highest point of general prosperity since then. Aragorn had claimed the crown and grew older but wiser. His two sons Aradorn and Falasin had peacefully agreed to allow the first-born Falasin to claim heir to the throne while Aradorn would live in the palace and be the heir should Falasin die. He also was appointed top general of The Middle Earth Army of Diplomacy. Made up of all kinds of peoples of the Middle Earth. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Druids, and even an occasional Wizard. They traveled to where ever there should be a problem of peace and sorted it out with as little force as possible.

A sudden bolt of lightning shook the ground with thunder and frightened Elson's horse, sending him sprawling to the ground with a hard thud. His belongings fell too. The horse ran and Elson cursed his bad luck. He pulled himself to his feet and dusted the snow off of his large coat. He checked his belt, found his sword and began to pick up his belongings. As he picked up his bag, a large faded green leather book fell out. Elson bent down to pick it up and as he grabbed it, his hands felt suddenly warm...too warm. The book had caught fire. He dropped the book and shoved his hands in the snow. As he looked at the book, The Dark One's eye caught his gaze. A voice that seemed distant yet near called to him, "Elson...Elson, my son. Prince of Death and Despair...Bring me back...." and it faded out with that.

The storm, drawing ever nearer, filled Elson's mind with thoughts of worry. He gathered the book and put it in his bag, running as fast as his legs could carry him to the top of the mountain. There, in the middle of a flat area, sat a large, rather church-like building. A large steeple with a sharp sword on top. Sauron's blade. Found after the wreckage of the battle, his followers dedicated their lives to finding a way to bring him back. And Elson had the answers held in one book. A book of the Dark Arts of Wizardry.

_There's only one problem,_ thought Elson as he entered the building. _How will I get a wizard to perform such things for me?_ It haunted him that they had no wizards of darkness after Sarumon had been captured and died of age. Did they stand a chance of finding a wizard?

"My my. What have we here?" Called a deep, familiar voice. "A Rat, eh? What's yer business here?"

Elson looked back to the man who had called to him. He walked up and said defiantly, "Move aside. Unless you want to defy the whims of Sauron."

The man exited the shadows smiling. It was Wysen. An elven woman who could easily imitate a man in voice and appearance. She wore a simple black tunic and coat. Her blonde hair was let loose and like always, she carried a large blade slung over her shoulder. A glint in her eye had warned him she had a good day...or a bad one and could just hid it well.

"Looks like the Rat has had an accident," Wysen joked.

Elson hadn't noticed until now that his face had received a large scratch when he had fallen off of his horse. He wiped away the crimson blood and continued his conversation with Wysen. "It just so happens that I have found the key to unlocking Sauron from his binding. This book," he said, pulling out the large leather bound book, "gives everything needed to return someone from the dead. Like the Ring, he needs an elven spell of Return to come back."

Wysen listened intently, knowing that she was the most fluent in any elvish. Though she simply pretended to be blase of the fact. When Elson had finished, she answered, "Well then, I guess Lyrro should hear of this. He is now in the garden with his Nasgul. Follow me."

The two walked together to the garden when a loud screech pierced the air. Elson fell to his knees hold his hands over his ears to stop the loud cry. Wysen stood intently waiting, her ears powerful enough to block out such painful cries of a Nasgul.

When the loud screech ended, Elson took a few moments to collect himself and continue on with Wysen. They found the Head of the Dark Legions petting his pet Nasgul, Wherra. He turned and cried, "Who dares disturb my meeting with Wherra?! State your reasons now!"

Elson fumbled for a moment and finally said, "My faithful re-research has t-t-turned up this, sire." He took out the book and handed it over to the powerful man. He studied the man intently, because he had never been this close to him, unlike Wysen who was his ears and eyes, as he was blind. The man wore heavy cloth formed in a large tunic, obviously specially made for his wide shoulders and powerful arms. He carried with him a large sword, winding with spikes from the sides. He had no hair and his eyes always seemed glazed. His face was round and gruff, havind a short beard of dark color.

Lyrro simply felt the book and then handed it to Wysen who told him how it could bring the Dark One back. Lyrro listened intently and suddenly laughed a deep gut laugh, sending chills down Elson's spine.

Wysen stopped and listened as Lyrro said, "My, my, my. Elson, how is it that you, a common foot soldier came across this book? Wysen, was it not burned in the great fire that destroyed our home?"

Wysen was stunned. First at how Lyrro knew that it was Elson who had come. Second at his remark of laughter and questioning. She looked at the book again and then at Lyrro. "Apparently it survived without a scratch. It is authentic, as can be imagined," she replied.

Elson stood, shaking, fearing Lyrro would sense his fear. And though Lyrro had, he knew the importance of this book and how great a discovery was made by Elson. He walked to him, put his humongous had on his shoulder, almost as big as his head. Lyrro said to him with sincerity, "You don't know how great you will become in our lives here. I invite you to sit at the head of the table tonight at the feast. There, you will tell your discoveries to the thousands who have come to dine with us."

Elson was flooded with gratefullness and surprise. He was invited to sit at the head of the table, not only to eat, but to sit at the right of the Leader of the Dark Army and Dark Legions. Everyone knew he had to have done something wondrous to do such a thing. But Lyrro had acted kinder than what he had expected. He feared that Lyrro would not even give him credit for his discovery and claim he had found the book. But it was not so, and Elson was glad he was where he was.

He was then dismissed and ran to find his friends, to tell them the wonderful news. But when he had found them, there was no way he was ever going to be able to them anything ever again.


	2. Ch 2 The Decision

Frodo laid on his death bed wishing to talk to no one but his adopted son, Ganol, or Gan. (Pronounced Gawnel, Gawn.) He also began to wish he had not returned to his home in the Shire, but had stayed in the Undying lands. The trees may not have been as familiar, but at least he would have forever been with his friends Gandalf and Bilbo.  
Ganol entered carrying a tray with tea on it. As be began to poor a cup, his adopted father's voice weakly said, "No, I desire nothing to drink or eat. I only wish to tell you my will before I die." Ganol walked over and waited for Frodo to continue. A deep cough erupted from Frodo before he continued, "Son, look under my bed, in a dark chest. You will find something I fear you may need in the near future"  
Ganol peered curiously under the bed for the chest and found it. As he opened it he silently gasped as he found an old legend, Sting. Frodo told many stories of this sword, but said he lost it on his return home. Now Ganol held it in his hands. Also in the chest he found the mythril that saved Frodo's life from the cave troll in the Mines of Moria. Ganol peered at his father, he simply smiled and said, "My son, times are coming when darkness will again try to consume the world of Middle Earth. Even now my old bones tell me evil is growing somewhere near. Perhaps in Rivendell or in the Great Mountain Pass. But where ever it is, it is growing rapidly, and I fear for the Shire's safety"  
Ganol finally spoke to his father by saying, "Father, what can I do but farm a field and make food for you? I have no training with a blade, nor any combat for that matter"  
Frodo still smiled as he said, "Neither did I when I embarked on my journey to Mordor. But as I continued, my skills honed quickly"  
Ganol gathered his father was saying that he already had them as a trait by listening to his stories of courage. He pulled the sword out of its dusty sheathe and looked at the encarved writing upon the blade.  
Translating, Ganol read, "Sting, The Orc Killer, hereby stands to cut down any orc nearing the blade with desire for blood. It will alarm any of coming danger"  
Frodo coughed again, breaking Ganol's thoughts, and said weaker than before, "My son..." and closed his eyes. Peacefully he crossed over to the other side, still smiling at his son.  
Ganol wept and mourned for weeks before finally allowing anything social. Most of the time, his great friend Theor visited him at breakfast and stayed until supper or dinner. Ganol found Theor was his only way to a comfort of his father's death. Slowly he arranged a funeral for his already buried father.  
The day of the funeral arrived, and over a thousand friends of Frodo came to weep and mourn with Ganol. Even Theor broke and cried with him. After the service, Ganol had retreated to his house and found solitude. When he glimpsed in his living room, he saw the blade and mithryl sitting. He walked to them and felt them. As he picked up the sword, something flashed in the corner of the sheathe, something faint.  
Suddenly an arrow whizzed by him and stuck in the wall. He drew the blade and saw the bright glow of Sting. Orcs had come to the Shire and wanted revenge on the one who killed their leader. Ganol burst out the door to see slain Hobbots laying scattered on the street. Theor himself ran and hid with a large gash in his arm. Another arrow zoomed over Ganol's head as he turned to see his asassin. An Uruk-hai no doubt. A so called "perfected Orc" in Frodo's words. He ran at him with no thought what-so-ever but as to kill the beast.  
Surely enough, the Orc Killer fullfilled its promise and split the heart of the Orc, who snarled and fell. Looking around quickly, he glanced in time to see a small child hobbit be cut down by an orc, who cut the head off of the young one and shoved it on a spike with others. Ganol lost all control. In a flash of fury, he began sprinting as fast as his little legs could carry him, cutting down every orc who he neared.  
Finally, any orcs left fled from the scene. Whoever had sent the orcs had obviously not worried about any retaliation. But one single hobbit had managed to cut down over fifty orcs, who could only manage to kill a dozen or two hobbits. Slowly and reluctantly, all the rest of the hobbits emerged from their hiding, crying over the loss of their loved ones.  
Ganol could not bear the sight, but he knew he could not escape it. He knew it was inevitable now, but he vowed then that in the future he would prevent it to his best ability. He now began to piece together a riddle his father had told him:

One day you will be Stronger than you can now see Courage will be your only guide And be able to turn the darkened tide

Ganol crossed the road to Theor and with a stern look, said, "I am leaving." And without time to respond, Theor watched his lifetime friend walking away.  
Theor rushed to catch up and replied, "Not without me." He picked up a stick by his feet and began to walk beside Ganol.  
Ganol, not even slowing his pace or looking any other direction than foward, said back to him, "Stop now Theor. This is my destiny and mine only." His pace slowly picked up but Theor persisted until Ganol stopped and said, "You aren't going to stop, are you Theor"  
Theor shrugged and answered, "Do I look like I'm going to let you run into danger by yourself?" He then laid his hand out, gesturing to the long path that wound ahead of them. "Besides, you're going to want someone to talk to on all of that"  
Ganol smiled and began to laugh. "Theor, I'm glad you are here." He then, next to Theor, marched on.  
A week passed before they came to their first destination, a town named Taronville. It was a mostly human town with a few scattered farms. Smoke billowed out of the town. Ganol quickly realized they had been attacked either before the Shire was or after by the retreating orcs as a tease.  
Theor put a hand on his friend's shoulder, hoping to console him just by a glance.  
"Theor, the Army of Middle Earth Diplomacy needs men. I'm asking as a friend who does not want to see you die that you stay here," Ganol said turning to Theor.  
Theor simply held his ground and stated, "And I am saying as a friend who will not leave your side that I will go where you go no matter what"  
Ganol simply frowned and began inside the town, Theor not letting himself fall to walk behind his friend. No dead could be seen, but none alive could be seen either. Ganol quickly gathered why. 


	3. Ch 3 Night of the Sneaks

Ganol and Theor neared to the smoke coming from the center of town where they found heeps and heeps of bodies burning. A putrid smell suddenly gagged them. They suddenly realized it was what was burning. Humans and Orcs. The smell of both was combined to make a horrid smell almost unbearable to anyone.

Soon, the two hobbits made a dash past the heap of burning flesh and ran smack into a tall, brisk man in armor. He looked down with an emotionless face and asked the two, "What are you two children doing here? It is not safe since the Orcs have become roamers again."

Theor and Ganol exchanged a glance of worry. They then turned attention to the man again and Ganol was first to speak, "We are not children, kind sir. We are merely hobbits of the Shire. We have come to find a group of Orcs who attacked us."

The man looked concerned as he replied, "Then it is as I have feared. The Orcs have broken the boundaries set down by our fore-fathers. We have not much time to lose. You two had better come with us rather than go home. Welcome to the Middle Earth Army of Diplomacy. You two ought to have no trouble getting something to wear, those tunics and cloaks will never do."

The man turned to go when Ganol called out, "Wait, can you tell us who you are?"

Without even stopping he called back, "I am Felenmor. General of this army." As he mounted his horse he drew his sword and cried out. Many men flooded out of the streets, leaving Ganol and Theor with the small band of men left behind to defend the remaining humans in Rivendell.

The morning came quickly upon the two hobbits who had been traveling for some time to get to Rivendell. Theor and Ganol both had received things they would need such as armor, shields, and swords, thought Ganol refused another sword other than sting.

Breakfast was quite hardy as most of the people in Rivendell were dead and their food was not to go to waste. Bread, soup, and some warm tea, finished off with some nice tobacco that was grown locally. Ganol though, barely ate anything for his mind was too set on finding those Orcs and destroy every one of them. Theor finally persuaded him to eat a little something.

"My friend, I fear the Orcs are stronger and more organized than a few roamers of this countryside. Look there in the dirt, tracks that could not be raiders. They are fashioned in a battle line. Marched into this town in a column then split in groups to raid and kill," Ganol examined.

Theor, not having as keen eyesight as Ganol said, "Ganol, how long had you stayed up last night?"

Ganol shot him a glance and it was all it was needed to tell Theor he was in no mood to be messed with. Theor continued eating as two men walked over to them and said, "Come with us, there is someone who would like to have a word with you."

Theor watched as Ganol stood and motioned for him to do the same. They followed to two men to a large tent where the captains had spent the night. A well built man stood, surveying a large unrolled scroll with a map of Middle Earth on it. He also had some small figures which Ganol guessed must have stood for the Orcs and their army.

"Thank you for coming my friends, I have much to say and I fear there isn't much time before a great evil is released upon this land. We think we may have found the whereabouts of the Orcs' leader. He lives in the Great Mountains in a large church-like building. They are worshippers of a dark wizard by the name of Sauron. Banished from the earth long before, he may yet be brought back. This is why I have called you here," said the man. "We think we have found a way to get you two into this facility and diminish their numbers. It may be risky but there are no others willing to go."

Ganol flinched at the mere fear that such a simple wizard struck in the men. He began to ask who he was when the man continued, "We managed to get some armor from the dead Orcs that we have refitted for you by the measurements for your other armor. We will try to smuggle you in and allow you to kill as many enemies as you can, then return here with an approximate kill. That is all for now, you are dismissed."

The two hobbits were then led out of the tent without so much as an "Are there any questions?". They returned to their seats where Theor munched hungrily on some bread and Ganol lit his pipe.

A sudden explosion broke the silence. Everyone began to look across the plain to see a few men running or riding away from a large cloud of smoke. Out of the smoke came a shrill shreek. Ganol knew what it was from one of his father's stories. A Nasgul. A great and ferocious dragon that devoured men at will.

The thing flew out of the smoke and struck down a man and his horse, tearing him to pieces. All the men had given up on fighting it and dropped all weapons, fully focused on escaping the thing. Ganol and Theor were told to hide and forcefully given some new armor, the Orc armor.

Ganol and Theor dove into a house where they only took a few seconds to put on their armor and were ready to be asassins. The Nasgul let out one more shriek before flying away to where ever it had come from. The few men who returned were Felenmor and no more than twenty men on horses and ten on foot.

"It came out of no where and decimated my men. Nothing could hurt it. Our archers were all killed and along with the rest of my men," Felenmor explained. "The enemy is stronger than we once thought. We must recruit as many more soldiers if we wish to stand a chance."

The hobbits knew it was their time to slip away to the Great Mountains. Under the cover of night, the two fled from the town and headed North. When they reached the slopes, they laid down to rest. It wasn't long before the two succumbed to their exhaustion.

Ganol woke to much talking that sounded like snorting. He still had his armor but his sword was gone. He sat up quickly and was startled to see two Orcs hovering over him. He cleared his throat and asked as raspily as he could, "Where am I you slugs?"

The bigger of the Orcs turned and said, "Quiet you dimwit, do you want the Nasgul to find us?" He then walked over to a window and looked out.

Ganol saw Theor. He too was robbed of his sword but continued to sleep. Ganol shook him and woke him up. Theor rolled over with a groan then asked, "Ready to go already?"

"Shhhh...quiet or we're Nasgul bait," cried one of the Orcs.

Ganol realized they were undergroud, and their swords lay on a shelf with two others, obviously the other two Orcs'. He got up and walked over to them, when one of the Orcs pulled him back and said, "Don't go near that, those swords are cursed. One of them is the Orc Killer. It will slit your throat by itself."

Ganol shook him off and picked it up, then put it on his belt. Laughing, he said, "You imbosille. It is a lie. I have carried this sword many miles and it has not once betrayed me of slaying a man."

He pulled out the sword, which obviously glowed blue. He jokingly jabbed at the other Orcs while Theor burst out laughing. Suddenly, Ganol was pulled by the sword and drove the sword through one of their hearts. The Orc slumped to the floor while the other Orc glared at him and grabbed a pot, threw it at Ganol, and ran.

Ganol looked out the window just in time to see the Orc dive off a cliff to his death. The two hobbits walked out of the underground house to find themselves looking down a large moutain. The two Orcs must have carried them up most of the way to the top. The wind was howling but under the armor, it was quite warm since it was designed for such a thing.

The two hobbits continued up the path for only a few meters until they spied a large building with towers and steeples sticking way above the clouds to where they couldn't see. The two snuck up and entered through an open window into a hallway where three men yelled at them. Ganol and Theor drew their swords and fought off the three. Once all three were on the ground dead, they heard someone running. Fearing, they ran and began to try to fit in as new recruits.


End file.
